Toronto: Wild cyclist death, Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant charged
09-01-09, 02:31 PM
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Toronto: Wild cyclist death, Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant charged
I heard about this while I was sleeping with the radio on thinking it was a dream till when I woke up I heard the story and the wild outcome. Apparently the driver who has been charged is Former Ontario General Attorney Michael Bryant from eye witness reports replayed on the radio people said the driver weaved to shake the cyclist off his car and the cyclist was apparently holding the drivers head rest. The driver went into IIRC went into opposite traffic lane to try and brush the cyclist off with the trees and IIRC the cyclist hit a mailbox. The outcome was a dead cyclist run over by IIRC Bryants rear wheel.
Turns out that the cyclist was a bike messenger. Still waiting on details in the news.
Source: The Toronto Star
URL: https://thestar.ca/news/gta/article/689220
REPOST (I believe there is a 7 day archive on this story on that link)
Michael Bryant charged in cyclist's death
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Darcy Allan Sheppard, 34, was a bike courier, father and amateur stand-up comedian, friends said.
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Details of the charges Photos of Bryant and scene Bryant through the years Did you see it? Contact us Michael Bryant profile Audio: Police press briefing CP video: Cyclist killed Map: GTA traffic fatalities Bryant quits McGuinty Liberals Excited to start 'plum' job Coyle: Bryant struts away Did you see it? Contact us
If you have pictures or an eye-witness account of last night's crash that killed a cyclist on Bloor St., near St. Thomas St., that involved a black Saab around 9:45 p.m., we would like to hear from you.
You can email pictures or comments with contact information to: fanpix@thestar.ca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CTV Videos
Michael Bryant arrested
Police question Michael Bryant in fatal crash
Michael Bryant sits in back of cruiser
Witnesses say cyclist clung to car as it drove on wrong side of road and hopped curb
Sep 01, 2009 04:21 PM
Robyn Doolittle, Danielle Wong , Nicole Baute
Staff Reporters
Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant has been charged with criminal negligence causing death after a 33-year-old cyclist was struck and killed last night.
He was also charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death.
Friends identified the victim as bicycle courier Darcy Allan Sheppard, father of three.
Bryant, 43, spent the night and morning in custody. He stared straight ahead as he left the Traffic Services police station at about 2:30 p.m. today, amid the flash of cameras and buzz of reporters' questions.
Dressed in a suit, but looking tired and distraught, he read a brief statement.
"May I ask for your understanding in not making a statement today on last night's tragic events. At an appropriate moment I will of course speak to you," Bryant said.
"I would, however, like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Sheppard. To all those who have offered support to my family in the past 12 hours, thank you," he said, choking up slightly.
Bryant is scheduled to appear in Old City Hall court on Oct. 19.
Sheppard, who was called Al by friends, was likely heading to his new home in the Dupont and Dufferin Sts. area at the time of the incident, friends said. They said Sheppard had just got back together with his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Misty, and had said he wanted to marry her.
"Things were starting to go well for him right around now. Stuff was looking good for him," said 24-year-old Sana, who did not want to give her last name.
Witnesses on Bloor St. last night described a heated confrontation between the driver of a black Saab convertible and a cyclist that began near Bloor and Bay Sts.
Police Sgt. Tim Burrows would not confirm reports the cyclist jumped on the car after a collision around 9:45 p.m. on Bloor, just west of St. Thomas St., and began fighting with the driver.
Police also reportedly questioned a female passenger who was in the convertible.
Witnesses said the westbound vehicle was driving on the wrong side of the road and up onto the curb trying to knock the cyclist off for about 100 metres.
Witnesses said the cyclist hung onto the driver's side of the car, which had its convertible top down, while the driver allegedly yelled at him to get off.
The vehicle veered into the eastbound lanes and mounted the curb, brushing against trees and poles. The victim was apparently run over by the rear wheels of the vehicle, witnesses said.
"Lots of people were watching and they couldn't believe what was happening," said Ryan Brazeau, a worker with a crew laying sewer pipes on Bloor.
One construction worker told CTV News he heard the squeal of tires and saw the car racing the wrong way down the street past their construction site, with the cyclist hanging onto the car.
"The guy hanging onto the car, hit the mailbox, hit the road, (then) . . . the car ran over him with the back tires," the witness said. "The guy bounced and the car sped off . . . the person was there just bleeding."
The witness said he felt sick to his stomach when he saw the cyclist "bleeding from his head, his mouth."
Sheppard was taken to St. Michael's Hospital with serious head injuries and died around midnight.
Burrows said a large portion of the incident was captured on surveillance video and that investigators are working to fill in the gaps.
Police said alcohol was not involved.
"What we do know at this point in time is there was an altercation that occurred last night on Bloor St.," Burrows said this morning in an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
"Anybody who was on Bloor St. last night between twenty after nine and ten to ten, anywhere between Church St. and Avenue Rd. that saw, heard, or believed that something was out of the ordinary, any little piece of information is going to help fill in some of the gaps we have in the investigation."
Around 9 a.m. today two of Sheppard's friends sat on the sidewalk scrawling notes for their friend, which they taped to a tree.
"He had a rough go," Will Pierson, 26, said. "And just this last week he had kind of turned his place around and all these things were starting to look up for him and that's why it's such a f-ing tragedy."
Pierson said he saw a bike on the news on TV this morning and recognized the wheel set as Sheppard's. He and Sana went to find him afterward at his home, but no one answered.
A friend called at that time and told them the news, Sana said.
The last time Pierson saw Sheppard was yesterday morning and they had chatted about guitar amps.
He and Sana were supposed to swing by Sheppard's house after work yesterday, but no one answered when they got there.
"He was totally getting his life back on track, which is the part that makes it really, really hard to deal with," Pierson said.
He figures half the couriers in Toronto will be mourning today.
Friends also said Sheppard was an amateur stand-up comedian who sometimes performed at open mike nights at local clubs.
Friends planned to return to the spot where Sheppard died and lay down a "ghost bike" in his memory.
Bryant has reportedly been in contact with a lawyer. Around 12:50 p.m., lawyer Andrew Evangelista arrived at Traffic Services in a black Cadillac, saying he was visiting Bryant as counsel and as a friend.
Bryant was first elected MPP for St. Paul's in 1999 and won re-election in 2003 and 2007. He was awarded Now Magazine's Best Toronto MPP for 2008.
Residents on a small street in the St. Paul's riding said they were shocked to hear about the alleged incident.
"I just saw the headline," said one man, who asked not to be named.
"He's a busy guy, we don't see him around very much."
When a Star reporter visited Bryant's two-storey Victorian home on Foxbar Rd., at the intersection of St. Clair W. and Avenue Rd., a woman closed the curtains. She could then be seen in the window talking on the phone while two children played.
Bryant was Ontario's youngest-ever attorney general, serving throughout the McGuinty government's first four-year term.
Bryant legalized paralegals, fixed election dates, banned pit bulls, overhauled the human rights system, re-created the Law Reform Commission, re-established civilian oversight of police and depoliticized Justice of the Peace appointments.
Bryant, who also served as aboriginal affairs minister, stepped down as Ontario's economic development minister in May to become president and CEO of the new Invest Toronto corporation chaired by Mayor David Miller.
In a statement issued this morning, Miller expressed "sincere condolences to the family and friends of the cyclist who died last night following an incident in the Yorkville area."
But citing the ongoing police investigation, he declined to comment further.
Bryant's former boss, Premier Dalton McGuinty, also reacted to news of the accident at a press conference this morning calling it "very sad, very tragic.
"My thoughts are with the family and friends of the gentleman who lost his life," he said.
McGuinty stayed away from answering questions as to how Bryant should be treated in court, given his former ministerial position with the Attorney General.
"With respect to the case itself, I think the best thing to do is let the investigation unfold," said McGuinty. "I have confidence that anyone who comes before Ontario courts will be treated with due process."
With files from Dan Robson, Daniel Dale, Jesse McLean, Noor Javed, John Rieti and Henry Stancu
[END REPOST]
Suppostly there is video of this as there were lots of witnesses. I'm trying to find some.
Turns out that the cyclist was a bike messenger. Still waiting on details in the news.
Source: The Toronto Star
URL: https://thestar.ca/news/gta/article/689220
REPOST (I believe there is a 7 day archive on this story on that link)
Michael Bryant charged in cyclist's death
Darcy Allan Sheppard, 34, was a bike courier, father and amateur stand-up comedian, friends said.
Click black triangle to enlarge and scroll
Email story
Choose text size
Report error or complaint
License this article
Details of the charges Photos of Bryant and scene Bryant through the years Did you see it? Contact us Michael Bryant profile Audio: Police press briefing CP video: Cyclist killed Map: GTA traffic fatalities Bryant quits McGuinty Liberals Excited to start 'plum' job Coyle: Bryant struts away Did you see it? Contact us
If you have pictures or an eye-witness account of last night's crash that killed a cyclist on Bloor St., near St. Thomas St., that involved a black Saab around 9:45 p.m., we would like to hear from you.
You can email pictures or comments with contact information to: fanpix@thestar.ca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CTV Videos
Michael Bryant arrested
Police question Michael Bryant in fatal crash
Michael Bryant sits in back of cruiser
Witnesses say cyclist clung to car as it drove on wrong side of road and hopped curb
Sep 01, 2009 04:21 PM
Robyn Doolittle, Danielle Wong , Nicole Baute
Staff Reporters
Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant has been charged with criminal negligence causing death after a 33-year-old cyclist was struck and killed last night.
He was also charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death.
Friends identified the victim as bicycle courier Darcy Allan Sheppard, father of three.
Bryant, 43, spent the night and morning in custody. He stared straight ahead as he left the Traffic Services police station at about 2:30 p.m. today, amid the flash of cameras and buzz of reporters' questions.
Dressed in a suit, but looking tired and distraught, he read a brief statement.
"May I ask for your understanding in not making a statement today on last night's tragic events. At an appropriate moment I will of course speak to you," Bryant said.
"I would, however, like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Sheppard. To all those who have offered support to my family in the past 12 hours, thank you," he said, choking up slightly.
Bryant is scheduled to appear in Old City Hall court on Oct. 19.
Sheppard, who was called Al by friends, was likely heading to his new home in the Dupont and Dufferin Sts. area at the time of the incident, friends said. They said Sheppard had just got back together with his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Misty, and had said he wanted to marry her.
"Things were starting to go well for him right around now. Stuff was looking good for him," said 24-year-old Sana, who did not want to give her last name.
Witnesses on Bloor St. last night described a heated confrontation between the driver of a black Saab convertible and a cyclist that began near Bloor and Bay Sts.
Police Sgt. Tim Burrows would not confirm reports the cyclist jumped on the car after a collision around 9:45 p.m. on Bloor, just west of St. Thomas St., and began fighting with the driver.
Police also reportedly questioned a female passenger who was in the convertible.
Witnesses said the westbound vehicle was driving on the wrong side of the road and up onto the curb trying to knock the cyclist off for about 100 metres.
Witnesses said the cyclist hung onto the driver's side of the car, which had its convertible top down, while the driver allegedly yelled at him to get off.
The vehicle veered into the eastbound lanes and mounted the curb, brushing against trees and poles. The victim was apparently run over by the rear wheels of the vehicle, witnesses said.
"Lots of people were watching and they couldn't believe what was happening," said Ryan Brazeau, a worker with a crew laying sewer pipes on Bloor.
One construction worker told CTV News he heard the squeal of tires and saw the car racing the wrong way down the street past their construction site, with the cyclist hanging onto the car.
"The guy hanging onto the car, hit the mailbox, hit the road, (then) . . . the car ran over him with the back tires," the witness said. "The guy bounced and the car sped off . . . the person was there just bleeding."
The witness said he felt sick to his stomach when he saw the cyclist "bleeding from his head, his mouth."
Sheppard was taken to St. Michael's Hospital with serious head injuries and died around midnight.
Burrows said a large portion of the incident was captured on surveillance video and that investigators are working to fill in the gaps.
Police said alcohol was not involved.
"What we do know at this point in time is there was an altercation that occurred last night on Bloor St.," Burrows said this morning in an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
"Anybody who was on Bloor St. last night between twenty after nine and ten to ten, anywhere between Church St. and Avenue Rd. that saw, heard, or believed that something was out of the ordinary, any little piece of information is going to help fill in some of the gaps we have in the investigation."
Around 9 a.m. today two of Sheppard's friends sat on the sidewalk scrawling notes for their friend, which they taped to a tree.
"He had a rough go," Will Pierson, 26, said. "And just this last week he had kind of turned his place around and all these things were starting to look up for him and that's why it's such a f-ing tragedy."
Pierson said he saw a bike on the news on TV this morning and recognized the wheel set as Sheppard's. He and Sana went to find him afterward at his home, but no one answered.
A friend called at that time and told them the news, Sana said.
The last time Pierson saw Sheppard was yesterday morning and they had chatted about guitar amps.
He and Sana were supposed to swing by Sheppard's house after work yesterday, but no one answered when they got there.
"He was totally getting his life back on track, which is the part that makes it really, really hard to deal with," Pierson said.
He figures half the couriers in Toronto will be mourning today.
Friends also said Sheppard was an amateur stand-up comedian who sometimes performed at open mike nights at local clubs.
Friends planned to return to the spot where Sheppard died and lay down a "ghost bike" in his memory.
Bryant has reportedly been in contact with a lawyer. Around 12:50 p.m., lawyer Andrew Evangelista arrived at Traffic Services in a black Cadillac, saying he was visiting Bryant as counsel and as a friend.
Bryant was first elected MPP for St. Paul's in 1999 and won re-election in 2003 and 2007. He was awarded Now Magazine's Best Toronto MPP for 2008.
Residents on a small street in the St. Paul's riding said they were shocked to hear about the alleged incident.
"I just saw the headline," said one man, who asked not to be named.
"He's a busy guy, we don't see him around very much."
When a Star reporter visited Bryant's two-storey Victorian home on Foxbar Rd., at the intersection of St. Clair W. and Avenue Rd., a woman closed the curtains. She could then be seen in the window talking on the phone while two children played.
Bryant was Ontario's youngest-ever attorney general, serving throughout the McGuinty government's first four-year term.
Bryant legalized paralegals, fixed election dates, banned pit bulls, overhauled the human rights system, re-created the Law Reform Commission, re-established civilian oversight of police and depoliticized Justice of the Peace appointments.
Bryant, who also served as aboriginal affairs minister, stepped down as Ontario's economic development minister in May to become president and CEO of the new Invest Toronto corporation chaired by Mayor David Miller.
In a statement issued this morning, Miller expressed "sincere condolences to the family and friends of the cyclist who died last night following an incident in the Yorkville area."
But citing the ongoing police investigation, he declined to comment further.
Bryant's former boss, Premier Dalton McGuinty, also reacted to news of the accident at a press conference this morning calling it "very sad, very tragic.
"My thoughts are with the family and friends of the gentleman who lost his life," he said.
McGuinty stayed away from answering questions as to how Bryant should be treated in court, given his former ministerial position with the Attorney General.
"With respect to the case itself, I think the best thing to do is let the investigation unfold," said McGuinty. "I have confidence that anyone who comes before Ontario courts will be treated with due process."
With files from Dan Robson, Daniel Dale, Jesse McLean, Noor Javed, John Rieti and Henry Stancu
[END REPOST]
Suppostly there is video of this as there were lots of witnesses. I'm trying to find some.
09-01-09, 02:36 PM
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09-01-09, 02:49 PM
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Combining to one thread
Combining to one thread for central reference.
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/580550-clinging-car-crushed-against-trees-mailbox-50mph.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/580455-about-bad-gets.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/580550-clinging-car-crushed-against-trees-mailbox-50mph.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/580455-about-bad-gets.html
09-01-09, 04:18 PM
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Pedal faster not harder.
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Seems to be a day for politicians hitting cyclists.
https://host.madison.com/news/state-a...1a722c547.html
https://host.madison.com/news/state-a...1a722c547.html
09-01-09, 04:32 PM
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18:00 CTV News (TV) reports and I'm noting FACTS ONLY.
Source: CTV News live at 18:00 TV news.
Reporter: Tom Hayes
-'this is not the first time police have had an encounter with the victim'
-Police were at Sheppards residence a few hours before the incident for a disturbance call. Mr. Sheppard was discribed as being 'drunk'.
-2hrs after the disturbance call he was riding his bikeon bloor street.
-There was another person in the vechicle with Bryant. It is a female that is currently not identified.
- Victim is married with a children.
- Father from Edmonton notified and travelling to T.O right now.
- Works for a bike courier company.
That is all to report right now.
Critical Mass is holding a viigl tomorrow according to the news. I'm making dinner so if someone can post that info for me I thank you in advance.
BTW would it be disrespectful to put a playing card in your spokes if you attend the vigil? I was thinking more as honoring the bike messenger but not sure how it would be view/taken normally.
Source: CTV News live at 18:00 TV news.
Reporter: Tom Hayes
-'this is not the first time police have had an encounter with the victim'
-Police were at Sheppards residence a few hours before the incident for a disturbance call. Mr. Sheppard was discribed as being 'drunk'.
-2hrs after the disturbance call he was riding his bikeon bloor street.
-There was another person in the vechicle with Bryant. It is a female that is currently not identified.
- Victim is married with a children.
- Father from Edmonton notified and travelling to T.O right now.
- Works for a bike courier company.
That is all to report right now.
Critical Mass is holding a viigl tomorrow according to the news. I'm making dinner so if someone can post that info for me I thank you in advance.
BTW would it be disrespectful to put a playing card in your spokes if you attend the vigil? I was thinking more as honoring the bike messenger but not sure how it would be view/taken normally.
Last edited by Zero_Enigma; 09-01-09 at 04:39 PM.
09-01-09, 05:06 PM
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18:00 CTV News (TV) reports and I'm noting FACTS ONLY.
Source: CTV News live at 18:00 TV news.
Reporter: Tom Hayes
-'this is not the first time police have had an encounter with the victim'
-Police were at Sheppards residence a few hours before the incident for a disturbance call. Mr. Sheppard was discribed as being 'drunk'.
-2hrs after the disturbance call he was riding his bikeon bloor street.
-There was another person in the vechicle with Bryant. It is a female that is currently not identified.
- Victim is married with a children.
- Father from Edmonton notified and travelling to T.O right now.
- Works for a bike courier company.
That is all to report right now.
Critical Mass is holding a viigl tomorrow according to the news. I'm making dinner so if someone can post that info for me I thank you in advance.
BTW would it be disrespectful to put a playing card in your spokes if you attend the vigil? I was thinking more as honoring the bike messenger but not sure how it would be view/taken normally.
Source: CTV News live at 18:00 TV news.
Reporter: Tom Hayes
-'this is not the first time police have had an encounter with the victim'
-Police were at Sheppards residence a few hours before the incident for a disturbance call. Mr. Sheppard was discribed as being 'drunk'.
-2hrs after the disturbance call he was riding his bikeon bloor street.
-There was another person in the vechicle with Bryant. It is a female that is currently not identified.
- Victim is married with a children.
- Father from Edmonton notified and travelling to T.O right now.
- Works for a bike courier company.
That is all to report right now.
Critical Mass is holding a viigl tomorrow according to the news. I'm making dinner so if someone can post that info for me I thank you in advance.
BTW would it be disrespectful to put a playing card in your spokes if you attend the vigil? I was thinking more as honoring the bike messenger but not sure how it would be view/taken normally.
AT 5 pm, bike couriers lay down their bikes on Bloor St. and held a protest and shouted "murderer." They stopped traffic for 45 mins. This was reported by City TV at the scene. They will be returning to protest tomorrow.
This could be a very nasty and public court case.
09-01-09, 06:11 PM
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BTW would it be disrespectful to put a playing card in your spokes if you attend the vigil? I was thinking more as honoring the bike messenger but not sure how it would be view/taken normally.
09-01-09, 07:50 PM
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i'll probably break it
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who cares if he was drunk? he was on a bike and dick was in a car. total bs. torontos cycling community dont take *****. dont be surprised if you read about cops tazering messengers this week.
09-01-09, 11:16 PM
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Must aquire some left over fireworks or Mythbuster up match head canon/disposible rocket launcher.
I'm going to see if I can make it tot he CM tomorrow. This case really is what tipped me over to checking out a CM ride.Just the eye witness reports of the wide driving to shake off the cyclisthas me mad. Radio shows are talking about it already and I think IMHO is is more a downtown problem as in the burbs you don't see that as often. Yah we get some pretty bad dinks up north of the downtown core but downtown you're more likely to be able to catch a drivers car with all the light stop and flow control then the long straightways up in the burbs. Unless you know of a consturction route and the perp took your route and got stuch at the the lights while you catch u p to them.
I'm going to see if I can make it tot he CM tomorrow. This case really is what tipped me over to checking out a CM ride.Just the eye witness reports of the wide driving to shake off the cyclisthas me mad. Radio shows are talking about it already and I think IMHO is is more a downtown problem as in the burbs you don't see that as often. Yah we get some pretty bad dinks up north of the downtown core but downtown you're more likely to be able to catch a drivers car with all the light stop and flow control then the long straightways up in the burbs. Unless you know of a consturction route and the perp took your route and got stuch at the the lights while you catch u p to them.
09-02-09, 06:45 AM
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It's beginning to look like Sheppard was the violent instigator of all of this. He hit Bryant's car, slammed a backpack on the hood, then it looks like he went after the car to attack Bryant. And it seems that he was intoxicated.
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/689771
On other forums, there is a LOT less sympathy for this cyclist.
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/689771
On other forums, there is a LOT less sympathy for this cyclist.
09-02-09, 07:08 AM
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Hey let's ride.
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Why would a cyclist be hanging or holding onto the headrest of a car?
Sounds like he may have been intoxicated.
Sounds like he may have been intoxicated.
09-02-09, 07:09 AM
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I don't think that I would have done what the driver did, but I would do whatever it took if I thought my life or that of my wife were endangered by an assailant. I know that I absolutely, positively would NOT have done what the cyclist did, unless the driver was abducting one of my kids or my wife.
So sad.
So sad.
09-02-09, 08:06 AM
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As shocking as this incident was, all of sudden, it looks like Bryant can plausibly use self-defense to cover his aggressive actions. The cyclist was drunk, and now apparently aggressive. So while I was considering going to the silent protest tonight, now I won't.
I do think that Bryant will be convicted of something and may well do some time. His actions may have been disproportionate.
I do think that Bryant will be convicted of something and may well do some time. His actions may have been disproportionate.
09-02-09, 08:09 AM
#15
Hey let's ride.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Allen, TX
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We really need to hear from others who witnessed the initial encounter. If you're riding in a convertible and someone grabs you, you may well try to speed away.
09-02-09, 08:38 AM
#16
Junior Member
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He was very probably drunk but if there was an initial collision, he may have hung on to the car to prevent the driver from leaving the scene. Not what I would do, but in Al's agitated state, that is what he chose to do. Big mistake.
